Container cover and method of application



Ndv. 19, 1968' B. LAFARGE CONTAINER COVER AND METHOD OF APPLICATION 5 Sheets-Shet 1 Pi led Sept 15, 1966 Nov. 19, 1968 B. N. LAFARGE CONTAINER COVER AND METHOD OF APPLICATION Filed Sept. 15. 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 19, 1968 B. N. LAFARGE 5 CONTAINER COVER AND METHOD OF APPLICATION Filed Sept. 15. 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet a FIG.

United States Patent 16 Claims. for. 220-46) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container cover for sealing the open mouth of a container comprising an outer rim forming a side wall, a top wall integral with the outer rim, an inner wall extending downwardly from the top wall and a central frustoconically shaped portion. The combination of the side wall and inner wall provides a groove, and a displaceable sealing compound is located within the groove. When the cover is put into place, the top rim of the container is received within the groove, and the central frusto-conical portion is then pressed downwardly to press the sealing compound into sealing engagement with the adjacent wall of the container. 1

This invention relates to a closure or cover for use in effecting a hermetic seal with containers having necks of various shapes and slight variations in dimension and it relates to a method for mounting the closure in sealing relationship onto the open mouth of the container.

Containers of the type with which closures of this invention may be employed have open mouths or openings which may be circular, cylindrical, frusto-conical or which may be provided with an annular lip of different cross-sections.

It is an object of this invention to provide a closure and a method for mounting same onto the open end of a container to effect a strong hermetically sealed relationship, notwithstanding the fact that the container opening may not be of constant dimension, by reason of the wear on the dies and apparatus used in the manufacture of same. In some instances, the differences in dimension between container outlets may be as great as several millimeters.

It is also desirable and it is, therefore, an object of this invention to produce a closure which is capable of use on containers of various shapes, such as containers having surfaces which converge towards the opening, such as in round-bottomed flasks, conically shaped containers or flasks, and the like.

It is an object of this invention to produce a closure of the type described which is simple in construction, which is easy to apply to effect a sealing relationship about the open end of a container; which is capable of reuse to reestablish a sealing relationship with the container for the protection of content material remaining in the container; which effects a strong :bon-din-g relationship with the container to hold the closure in sealed relationship thereon; and which can be formed of readily available, low cost materials for use as an economical closure independent of the wide tolerances in dimension of the container.

These and other objects and advantages of' this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view in elevational of a closure embodying the features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of a portion of the closure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view similar to that of 3,411,660 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 FIG. 2 but showing the closure mounted in sealing relationship on the open end of a container;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of the closure shown in FIG. 1 with the section S illustrating the closure before use, as in FIG. 2, and the section S showing the closure after use, as in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view, partially in section, showing a modification in the construction of a closure embodying the features of this invention before deformation for mounting onto the container;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the closure shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view, partially in section, show ing the elements in FIG. 5 with the closure in sealing relationship on the container;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the closure shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional elevational view showing a further modification in a closure embodying the features of this invention and adapted for use on a round bottom flask; and

FIG. 10 is a view similar to that of FIG. 9 showing the closure mount-ed in sealing engagement on the Container.

With reference now to the modification shown in FIGS. 1-4, illustration is made of a container R having a mouth portion about the opening in the form of an upper flat rim 1, an inner wall 2 of frusto-conical shape which extends upwardly and outwardly, and an outer wall 4 of frusto-conical shape which terminates at its upper end in a cylindrical portion 3. The container is subject to wide tolerances in manufacture and is of the type which usually has an irregular inner surface 2.

The closure or cover is formed of a sheet metal stamping having a lateral side wall portion and an upper top wall portion with a section of sealing material B on the inner face thereof.

The side wall portion is in the form of a frustoconical member having a vertically disposed, cylindrical section 5 terminating in an outwardly flaring lower edge portion 6 with an inwardly curled upturned edge 7. A plurality of circumferentially spaced apart elongate slots 8 are provided in the cylindrical section 5 with the slots being dimensioned to have a length in the circumferential direction of more than 4 centimeters and preferably in the range of 5-7 centimeters with the slots circumferentially spaced one from the other with a solid area in between of less than 5 centimeters and preferably between 3 to 4 centimeters. The sheet material struck from the cylindrical section to form the slots 8 are turned inwardly and offset along their lower edge parallel to the axis XX of the closure and with the portion located immediately beneath each slot being offset inwardly over a distance which increases from Zero offset at the ends m, p to a maximum at the center n. When viewed perpendicularly to the axis XX, the offset portion increases gradually for a short distance from the ends m, p and thereafter remains constant along an arc of a circle having the axis XX as tis center whereby the intermediate portion of the offset conforms to the curvature of the outer wall of the cylindrical container R when the cover is in position of the mouth of the container. Thus the edge of the inwardly offset portion 9 will operate resiliently to engage the outer wall 4 of the container R not withstanding slight differences in shape or dimension within the conventional tolerances.

The top wall is integral with the side wall along its peripheral edge and is formed of a central frusto-conically shaped portion 10 joined with an outer peripheral flat rim portion 11. The central frusto-conical portion 10 comprises a central flat disc sectiOn 12 connected by a downwardly curved stiffening portion 14 integral with its outer edge to a narrow, flat annular band which is substantially parallel with the plane of the central disc portion 12. Integral with the band 15 and extending angularly downwardly and outwardly therefrom to a base 18 is a frusto-conical section 17 having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart, substantially U-shaped lateral recesses 19 offset therein with the maximum offset at the base portion and gradually decreasing to the rim and which enables the outer base portion 18 to be displaced outwardly to the position 18 with an increase in diameter from the original value of 2rl to a value or 222 in response to depression of the base portions 12, 14 and 15 of the cover 10, as will hereinafter be explained.

The groove beneath the annular rim 11 and between the side wall 5 and the inner wall 21, joining the base 18 with the rim 11, increases in cross-section from the upper portion downwardly to provide a groove of trapezoidal shape which is at least partially filled with sealing material B. The sealing material B, which may be of a rubber base composition or the like, can be bonded at the inner surfaces of the cover defining the groove or it can merely be cast into the groove.

The central base portion 12 is adapted to extend beyond the level of the rim 11, when in normal position, to enable displacement of the said base portion downwardly during operation to effect sealing engagement in mounting the cover onto the open mouth of the container.

In use, the cover is placed on the mouth of the container R with the upper edge of the container received within the groove 20 below the rim 11. Pressure is applied to the peripheral rim portion 11 to urge the rim portion in the direction towards the container whereby sealing material B is caused to flow about the edge of the container to effect a sealing engagement therewith. For this purpose, use can be made of a tool having an annular portion which first engages the rim to effect the described displacement. The tool is adapted to be guided by a central portion and is provided with resilient means, such as springs, which bear upon a flange integral with the central portion whereby the flange initially engages the rim 11 responsive to downward pressure on the tool. The central portion of the tool continues downwardly and engages the central base portion 12 to flatten the latter by downward displacement, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

Responsive to such flattening of the central base portion during downward displacement, the base 18 is displaced radially outwardly from an original diameter of 2rl to 18* having a diameter of 21-2. Outward displace ment of the base 18 operates to narrow the groove 20 by deflecting the inner wall 21 outwardly to the position 21 Responsive to such decrease in cross-sectional area, sealing material B is caused further to flow, at 22, into more intimate engagement wtih the inner face of the wall of the container R to enhance the sealing relationship therebetween.

The cover is retained in sealing engagement about the mouth of the container by the joint action of the edge of the offset flange 19 on the one side and the sealing pressure exerted by the portion 22 on the other side. In the absence of the offset resilient flanges 19, the radial sealing pressure at 22 will be sufficient to hold the cover in position of use on the container.

For removal, a tool is inserted to engage the cover beneath the upturned lip 7. The removed cover can be replaced for use on the same container to reestablish the desired sealing relationship by insertion of the rim of the container R into the groove 20. The deformation for effecting the initial sealing relationship is more or less permanently retained in the cover, including the extension of the wall 21 and to some extent the deformation occurring in the frusto-conical section 17, particularly if use is made of aluminum or alloy of aluminum or other relatively inelastic material in the construction of the cover. A staying effect can be superimposed on the described relatively permanent deformations, as will be described with reference to the modification shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the container is illustrated in the form of a box of cylindrical shape having a lip in the form of a ring 24 rolled inwardly from the material making up the .upper edge. The cover comprises a vertically disposed outer side wall 5*, free of slots, and with an inwardly turned lip or rim 7* at its lower edge.

The upper portion is somewhat the same as in the previous modification except that the recesses 19* in the frusto conical portion 17 are arranged in separate groups, such as the four groups shown, with equally spaced apart sections 25 in between being free of the recessed or offset portions. In this modification, it is preferred to povide a greater spaced relationship between the outer wall 5 and the inner wall 21 extending downwardly from the offset edges of the rim 11 so as to provide for a groove 23 of greater width for receiving the sealing material B.

In this modification, after the cover has been placed on the container to receive the lip 24 within the groove 23 and after pressure has been applied to the rim 11 and then to the flat base portion 12 for displacement from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the flattened portion 12 shown in FIG. 7, the frusto-conical potrion 17 is flattened to the position 17 whereby the base 18 extends to- 18 to engage the underside of the lip 24. The portions radially aligned with the sections 25, free of the offset sections 19, are incapable of the same amount of extension and thus are only slightly deformed to the position 18 To remove the cover, it is only necessary to apply'a lifting force to portions of the cover opposite the sections 25, as by the insertion of a blade or tool between the outer surface of the container and the flat edge 7. Since engagement is not effected beneath the rolled edge 18 the cover is less firmly held at these flattened zones.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the container is in the form of a round-bottomed flask having a curvilinear side wall extending to the open mouth with the inner surface being designated by the numeral 26.

The cover is of the construction described in the previous modifications with the central base portion 12 projecting upwardly beyond the edge when placed in position of use and with the central base portion depressed to 12 when actuated to effect the desired sealing engagement. Depression of the base portion produces a bracing effect as the base portion is displaced radially outwardly to the position 18" into resilient engagement with the crosswise aligned portion of the inner, upwardly converging surface 26 adjacent the upper edge of the container R It will be apparent from the foregoing that a cover is provided which is of sturdy construction and which is capable of use with containers having wide tolerances in their mouth portions to effect a firm and strong sealing engagement therebetween to enable use of the container for the storage of condiments and the like.

It will be understood that the applicator tool previously described forms no part of this invention and that other means may be employed, manually or otherwise, for the application of the cover onto the container.

It will be further understood that changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A closure for hermetically sealing the open mouth of a container comprising an integral member including a top wall portion and a lateral side Wall portion, said top wall portion comprising a central frusto-conically shaped base portion, an annular rim portion spaced outwardly from the frusto-conically shaped base portion and spaced upwardly from the outer edge thereof, an inner wall integrally joining the inner edge of the rim portion with the outer edge of the frusto-conically shaped base portion, said side wall portion being integrally joined at its upper edge with the outer edge of the rim portion to define a groove between said rim portion, side wall portion and inner wall, and a sealing compound filling at least a portion of the said groove, and wherein the side wall portion is formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, circumferentially extending narrow slots with the portions struck away to form the slots being inturned inwardly towards the interior of the closure, said portions turned inwardly extending from the base of the slot and being offset inwardly parallel to the axis of the cover from a zero offset at the ends of the slot to a maximum offset at the center, and in which the inwardly turned portions are offset perpendicularly to the axis of the cover by an amount which increases gradually from the ends of the slot for a short distance and then remains subtantially concentric with the contour of the cover for the remainder of the distance in between.

2. A closure for hermetically sealing the open mouth of a container comprising an integral member including a top wall portion and a lateral side wall portion, said top wall portion comprising a central frusto-conically shaped base portion, said central frusto-conically shaped base portion comprising a raised central section and a skirt section extending angularly outwardly and downwardly from the central raised section, and wherein said skirt portion is formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart downwardly offset portions, an annular rim portion spaced outwardly from the frusto-conically shaped base portion and spaced upwardly from the outer edge thereof, an inner wall integrally joining the inner edge of the rim portion with the outer edge of the frusto-conically shaped base portion, said side wall portion being integrally joined at its upper edge with the outer edge of the rim portion to define a groove between said rim portion, side wall portion and inner wall, and a sealing compound filling at least a portion of the said groove.

3. A closure as claimed in claim 2 in which the offsets are a maximum adjacent the raised central portion and a minimum adjacent the outer edge portion of the skirt.

4. A closure as claimed in claim 2 in which the offset portions are arranged in equally spaced apart groups with a greater spaced relationship between the groups as between the offsets in the groups.

5. A closure in hermetically sealed relation with a container, said container having a top rim defining an open mouth, said closure comprising an integral member including a top wall portion and a lateral side wall portion, said top wall portion comprising a central firusto-conically shaped base portion, an annular rim portion spaced outwardly from the frusto-conically shaped base portion and spaced upwardly from the outer edge thereof, an inner wall integrally joining the inner edge of the rim portion with the outer edge of the frusto-conically shaped base portion, said side wall portion being integrally joined at its upper edge with the outer edge of the rim portion to define a groove between said rim portion, side wall portion and inner wall, and a displaceable sealing compound located in said groove between the opposed surfaces defined by said side wall portion and said inner wall, said inner wall being in pressing engagement with said sealing compound thereby causing said sealing compound to intimately grip the adjacent container surface.

6. A closure for hermetically sealing the open mouth of a container comprising an integral member including a top wall portion and a lateral side wall portion, said top wall portion comprising a central frusto-conically shaped base portion, an annular rim portion spaced outwardly from the frusto-conically shaped base portion and spaced upwardly from the outer edge thereof, an inner wall integrally joining the inner edge of the rim portion with the outer edge of the frusto-conically shaped base portion, said side wall portion being integrally joined at its upper edge with the outer edge of the rim portion to define a groove between said rim portion, side wall portion and inner wall, and a displaceable sealing compound filling at least a portion of the said groove between the opposed surfaces defined by said side wall portion and said inner wall, said sealing compound normally extending away from the top wall short of the downward extent of said inner wall at least when said closure is initially placed on a container whereby said inner wall will extend downwardly in overlapping relationship with respect to the mouth of the container.

7. A closure as claimed in claim 6 in which the inner wall connecting the outer edge of the frustoconically shaped base section and the inner edge of the rim slopes in the direction away from the outer side wall portion to define a groove of trapezoidal shape therebetween.

8. A closure as claimed in claim 6 in which the central frusto-conically shaped base portion comprises a raised central section and a skirt section extending angularly outwardly and downwarly from the central raised section.

9. A closure as claimed in claim 6 in which the side wall portion comprises a substantially cylindrical section, an outwardly flaring section integral with the lower edge of the cylindrical section and a lip on the lower edge of the flared portion.

10. A closure as claimed in claim 6 in which the side wall portion is formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, circumferentially extending narrow slots with the portions struck away to form the slots being inturned inwardly towards the interior of the closure.

11. A closure as claimed in claim 10 in which the slots are dimensioned to have a length greater than 4 centimeters and spaced one from the other by an amount less than 5 centimeters.

12. A closure as claimed in claim 10 in which the slots are dimensioned to have a length within the range of 5 to 7 centimeters and in which the space between the slots is between 3 to 4 centimeters.

13. A closure as claimed in claim 6 in which the side wall is cylindrical.

14. A closure as claimed in claim 6 in which the lower edge of the side wall is formed with an inwardly rolled lip.

15. The method of applying a cover onto the open mouth of a container, said cover comprising an integral member including a top wall portion and a lateral side wall portion, said top wall portion comprising a central frusto-conically shaped base portion, an annular rim portion spaced outwardly from the frusto-conically shaped base portion and spaced upwardly from the outer edge thereof, an inner wall integrally joining the inner edge of the rim portion with the outer edge of the frustoconically shaped base portion, said side wall portion being integrally joined at its upper edge with the outer edge of the rim portion to define a groove between said rim portion, side wall portion and inner wall, and a sealing compound filling at least a portion of the said groove, said method comprising the steps of positioning the cover over the mouth of the container about the open mouth seated wihin the groove, pressing the rim portion in the direction towards the container to seat the edge of the container within the sealing material in the groove and then flattening the frusto-conically shaped central base portion whereby the outer edge thereof is displaced outwardly, .Said inner wall also being displaced outwardly in response to flattening of the central base portion to decrease the cross-sectional dimension of the groove and to cause the sealing compound therein more intimately to grip the container.

16. The method of applying the cover claimed in claim 6 onto the open mouth of a container comprising the steps of positioning the cover over the mouth of the container with the edge of the container about the open mouth seated within the groove, pressing the rim por- 3,411,660 7 8 tion in the direction towards the container to seat the References Cited edge of the container within the sealing material in the UNITED STATES PATENTS groove and then flattening the frusto-conically shaped central base portion whereby the outer edge thereof is 3,253,727 5/1966 Hart 215 40 displaced outwardly with corresponding decrease in the 5 FOREIGN PATENTS cross-sectional dimension of the groove to press the sealing material into sealing engagement with the adjacent 417906 10/1934 Great Bntam' Wall of the JAMES B. MARBERT, Primary Examiner. 

